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Reformations...what’s behind them? Nostalgia, money, glory, the music - there are lots of reasons to get a band back together. The latest addition to the comeback wall is cult Brighton psychobilly band The Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster. Lead singer Guy McKnight of the band has spoken to Clash about the reasons behind this reunion, with anniversaries, illnesses and adverts all playing part.

“It’s 10 years since we released ‘Horse Of The Dog’ and I think me and Andy (original guitarist) have been talking about reforming to do another album for over a year now. Loads of us weren’t talking to each other. Sym (bassist) was sort of really ill and he’s better now, but basically we had this opportunity to do the Nike ad and there’s been 17 million hits on YouTube, so it just seems like we’ve got to a place where we’re talking to each other now. It’s 10 years since we put out the album, so it seems serendipitous that the Nike ad happened now. It just feels like we’re in rhythm with each other and the great life of the universe. It just seems silly not to really.”

The Nike ad, which uses their single ‘Chicken’ and includes footballers such as Ronaldo and Sneijder, must have brought up some nostalgic feelings for them (amongst a few quid in the pocket). But there must have been some issues to overcome before reforming, surely.

“I felt there was unfinished business. Everyone’s struggled and overcome personal issues. Our band has always seemed to be thwarted by on onslaught of personal issues, which always seemed to stop us having a happy-go-lucky time. It was always a kind of against the storm. But we did it, we did it for 12 years every year for 12 years, we released three albums, people left and people joined. In the end it felt like it had reached a very natural death, so people just needed time to find their feet and reevaluate things and get in perspective and remember why they love music and why they formed the band in the first place.”

Not all was good between the band at first though, there was some hard feelings present: “It was very refractory, we didn’t keep in contact for months and in some cases a couple of years. But Andy and I were talking so we shared our desire to rekindle it. But it seemed unlikely, but everything changes, everyone changes, so I think resentment is a closed door really.”

Guy, who has been working as a chef in his friend’s Japanese takeaway in his time away from the band, also reveals though that they haven’t actually played together yet though: “ No, not yet, we’re just about to start. Andy left the band 8 years ago so there will probably be a few teething problems I think. Friday 29th (June - practice date).”

In other news, in regards to their upcoming October shows, Guy states that these are the only planned shows for the forceable future: “It’ll just be stuff from the back catalogue of the last 12 years, but who knows what’ll happen. Maybe we will make another album, but I couldn’t say. This is it, really, everyone is doing other musical projects already, so it’s just this string of dates. Can’t plan too optimistically yet...everyone is treading carefully.”